August 28, 2020 Anyone who’s beachcombed in Southeast Alaska knows about hard plastic fishing buoys. Japanese fishermen use them, and sometimes they escape and wash up on our shores along with beach glass and flocks of rubber ducks that fell … Continue reading Brave Heart Buoys
HAL CPP Platinum-33-State COI August 8, 2020 And just like that it’s fall. The skies are overcast and even though sunset is still late, a little before 9 PM, it feels dark. We’ve had a good deal of rain this … Continue reading Recovery Fishing
August 7, 2020 I’m sitting in my living room looking out at the rain this first week of August. Fall is coming and I’m dreaming of that last week of July. A week that confirms for me that Southeast Alaska … Continue reading The Last Week of July
July 16, 2020 Eklutna is the only Native Alaskan village within the municipality of Anchorage. It sits between Thunderbird Falls and Cook Inlet’s Knik Arm north of Chugiak. One source says the village is 800 years old, another, dates it … Continue reading Spirit Houses
This was a dry Independence Day. Not only did it not rain but there was no water fight. The water fight has been my favorite July Fourth activity for years. The Coast Guard and Fire Department square off against each … Continue reading A Duck Dump and Antique Cars
May 30, 2020, Sitka, Alaska I don’t like visiting cemeteries. Perhaps it’s a reminder of my own mortality. Or perhaps it was watching my elementary school being built in the summer of 1950. To make room for the school playground … Continue reading A Shady Resting Place.
May 28, 2020, Sitka, Alaska. Sitka seem a little schizophrenic. Part of Sitka, along with the rest of Alaska, has started to “re-open responsibly” according to the Governor’s directive. And another part is reacting to Sitka’s second COVID case. While … Continue reading Up Hill!
May 3, 2020, Sitka, Alaska I would not make a good bank robber. On my walk yesterday almost everyone greeted me by name “Hi Rich” while I was wearing my mask. Only one person, someone I have known for decades, … Continue reading Who Was That Masked Man?
May 1, 2020, Sitka, Alaska It’s been a while since I visited the Michio Hoshino memorial totem pole on the south side of the Halibut Point Rec. Today was a nice sunny day so I decided to hike down for … Continue reading Michio Hoshino Totem Pole Redux..
April 19, 2020, Sitka, Alaska The instructions are confusing. We’re supposed to shelter at home but are encouraged to go outside for exercise. In spring, when the weather turns nice Alaskans NEED to get outside to crush cabin fever. Sheltering … Continue reading Social Distance vs Cabin Fever
Memories of Grandma April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday, Sitka, Alaska This year Lent started for us on a Thursday. We completely lost Ash Wednesday because of an untimely crossing of the dateline. So, we attended Ash Thursday services on MS … Continue reading When Does Lent End?
April 9, 2020, Sitka, Alaska I needed some more practice at social distancing before I really took it on-line. It was a beautiful day to try. I decided to walk along Silver Bay where I would not encounter too many … Continue reading Social Distancing…day 2
The first Christmas in Sitka, in a trailer park, Suzi looked out the window and saw brightly colored boats cruising by in the channel. Over the years the boat parade has ebbed and flowed with the economy and the weather. … Continue reading Sitka Christmas Boat Parade, 2019
When Michael Castellini, Dean of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Grad School, was a young scientist, his department chairs told him to stick with the research and never talk to reporters. ‘That is why we have public relations people, they’ll … Continue reading Mysteries of the Changing Seas, Sitka Whale Fest 2019
Saturday Sitka’s Rotary sponsored a wildlife cruise. On the preceding blog post you can read my comments on the day and the viewing. This page is all about scenery, including a picture on one of the fresh landslides we saw … Continue reading Rotary Scenery
Rotary lucked out. Planning a fundraising cruise in October is an iffy thing when you consider the weather. Rotary’s cruise on Saturday had interesting weather in that it was sunny with fog beginning to settle in. You looked one way … Continue reading Rotary Wildlife
At 2 PM the Tlingit community held a Mourning and Reconciliation ceremony at the base of Noow Tlein, (Castle Hill) On the top of the hill was the “Reenactment” of the transfer with the Russian flag lowered and the US … Continue reading Reconciliation Day
The bagpipers have returned to Seattle, the beards and bonnets are judged, ball gowns are back on their hangers for another year and I am still digesting pie and donuts. I’m also getting around to sorting, processing and posting pics … Continue reading Alaska Day Parade, 2019, Take Two.
Sitka Historical Society 2019 Brew Cruise. It was weird, we were on an Allen Marine boat and the whales were playing all around us, and while some people took time to watch them most people were pre-occupied with beer, brats … Continue reading Wailing at Whales
Sitka Sneakers! Here are some boot closeups from the 25th annual “Running of the Boots.” and a link to the main article. Continue reading These Boots Are Made for Running.
The last cruise ship, the Seaborne Sojourner, pulled out of old Sitka Docks this afternoon. The visitors were treated to rare late September sunshine. While a few straggling tourists will still come in on individual tours (and we are glad … Continue reading 25th Annual Running of the Boots.
This blogpost started with a Facebook message from Joe Montagna. Joe is a musician and elementary school teacher who played the “Brian May” part in a Queen tribute organized by the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. I attended the Friday performance, … Continue reading We Will, We Will Rock You!
In Sitka Eagles get free health care. The Alaska Raptor Rehabilitation Center cares for eagles and other birds who run afoul of humans, trees or each other. Each year the center takes in eagles. Some can be rehabilitated, some cannot … Continue reading A Hole in the Wing.
The NOAA website predicted a “minor magnetic storm” for August 30 and 31. As the weekend progressed the predictions of magnetic activity became more intense and prolonged, into the first days of September. And the clincher, the weather in Sitka … Continue reading A Minor Magnetic Storm